Many Mediocre Cancer Therapies Become Much Better When More Targeted to Cancerous Tissues
One of the important areas of cancer research and development that appears to receive a great deal of attention and funding, but in practice seems slow to make it from the laboratory to the clinic, is the targeting of therapeutics to cancerous cells. Reductio ad absurdum, near any of dozens of existing chemotherapeutics would do the job of completely clearing tumors, with minimal to no side-effects, if one could only find a way to delivery tiny amounts of the therapeutic to every cancer cell while avoiding every healthy cell. The inability to target treatments this effectively is exactly why cancer remains such a problem. ...
Source: Fight Aging! - March 9, 2022 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Medicine, Biotech, Research Source Type: blogs
Hairy Nanocrystals Capture Chemo Drugs
Researchers at Penn State working with collaborators have developed a nanomaterial that can ‘mop up’ chemotherapeutics in the bloodstream, helping to reduce off-target effects. The technology is intended for use in situations where a chemotherapeutic can be delivered precisely to the site of a tumor, and not in situations where it is delivered systemically. The cellulose particles have a large number of polymer chain “hairs” that protrude from each end, that increase their ability to bind drug molecules in the blood.
Chemotherapy can be incredibly difficult for patients who undergo treatment, with an extensive l...
Source: Medgadget - January 12, 2022 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Materials Medicine Nanomedicine Oncology PennState Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, December 20th 2021
In conclusion, the low dose, prolonged angiotensin II exposure is associated with the induction of senescence in kidneys and the promotion of an inflammatory microenvironment through both secreted factors and immune cells. Endothelial cells appear to be a major cell type impacted. The elimination of senescent cells in the INK-ATTAC transgenic model prevents these effects of angiotensin II and reveals a novel pathophysiologic mechanism amenable to targeting by senolytic drugs in development.
CYTOR Upregulation as a Path to Improved Muscle Function in Later Life
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2021/12/cytor-...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 19, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Procyanidin C1 as a Senotherapeutic
This open access paper runs through a range of data for the assessment of procyanidin C1 as a senolytic compound capable of selectively destroying senescent cells, both in cell studies and in animal studies. Procyanidin C1 clearly isn't as good as dasatinib and quercetin (or fisetin alone) in mice, but it does extend mouse life span by a little under 10%. The mechanism of action appears to involve induction of mitochondrial dysfunction in senescent cells, leading to programmed cell death, but there is a good deal of work remaining in order to fully understand how procyanidin C1 achieves this outcome, and whether or not it ...
Source: Fight Aging! - December 14, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
To my patient who is going to lose her hair from chemotherapy
I understand that the biggest fear you have about going through chemotherapy is losing your hair. I just want to tell you. You will be fine. Trust me. I know it ’s barbaric. Why don’t we have medicines to treat cancer that will not make you lose your hair in this day and age? Strange, right?Read more …To my patient who is going to lose her hair from chemotherapy originally appeared inKevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - November 25, 2021 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/farhan-s-imran" rel="tag" > Farhan S. Imran, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Oncology/Hematology Source Type: blogs
Fish-Shaped Microrobots to Deliver Chemotherapy to Tumors
Researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China, working with outside collaborators, have developed shape-shifting microrobots that are designed to be guided to a target area in the body using magnets, and then release a drug cargo in response to the local environment. The application that the researchers have pursued involves guiding the microrobots to a solid tumor using magnets outside the body, and then the tumor’s naturally acidic microenvironment stimulates a shape change, resulting in the local release of a chemotherapy drug.
Researchers are devising a variety of cunning ways to de...
Source: Medgadget - November 19, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Materials Medicine Oncology Radiology Source Type: blogs
A woman in her 60s with syncope and vomiting. Does she need a pacemaker?
Written by Pendell Meyers with some edits by Steve SmithA woman in her 60s on chemotherapy presented to the Emergency Department for a syncopal episode just prior to arrival. She was walking to the bathroom when she suddenly felt nauseous and passed out. EMS was called by the patient ' s daughter, and en route to the ED she vomited twice. On arrival to the ED, she adamantly denies chest pain but says she ' s " just still not feeling well. " She had no prior known cardiac disease.Triage at 0755:The rhythm is most either atrial fibrillation with complete heart block and resulting junctional escape, or atrial flutter wi...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - November 19, 2021 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs
Cold Cap Therapy for Chemo Patients: Interview with Kate Dilligan, CEO of Cooler Heads Care
Cooler Heads Care, a medtech company based in San Diego, created Amma, a cold cap therapy device that aims to help chemotherapy patients to preserve their hair. Hair loss is a very common side-effect of chemo, and poses a significant psychological challenge for patients who are already struggling with their diagnosis and treatment.
Simply cooling the scalp during chemotherapy can dramatically reduce the amount of drug absorbed by the hair follicles, leading to reduced hair loss. However, current technology to achieve this comes with a hefty price tag, and may cost the patient as much as $8,000. This is out of reach for ...
Source: Medgadget - November 16, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Exclusive Medicine Oncology Source Type: blogs
Developments In Psychology ’s Covid Research
By Emma L. Barratt
Early in the pandemic, there was a rapid shift in the pace of research. With the situation evolving quickly, lockdowns coming into effect, and the massive loss of life that followed, researchers across academia were racing against the clock to produce papers.
This haste was unusual for most scientists, more used to detailed scrutiny, further investigations, and collaboration. As a result, some were concerned about the rigour of papers that would ultimately see the light of day. Early on, psychologist Vaughan Bell tweeted with regards to Covid research, “If it’s urgent, the urgency is to ...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - November 8, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: Coronavirus Feature Source Type: blogs
Weighing Cancer Cells for Chemotherapy Susceptibility Testing
A collaboration between groups at MIT and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute led to the creation of a system that allows for quick determination of the susceptibility of cancer cells to specific drugs, without the need to rely on genomic markers. The technique consists of flowing the cells through vibrating microchannels, which lets the researchers obtain single cell mass measurements in a high-throughput manner. By comparing the weights of cells that have been treated with a drug to those of untreated cells, the researchers can quickly identify whether a drug will have a significant effect on a tumor. The technology could play ...
Source: Medgadget - October 11, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Medicine Oncology Source Type: blogs
Antimicrobial Coating Prevents Infections Around Ortho Implants
A group at Duke University engineered an antibiotic delivery system to make the surfaces of orthopedic implants resistant to bacterial infiltration. The technique involves spraying or painting a combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers, mixed with an antibiotic of choice, onto the surface of the implant. A UV light is then used to cure the coating in place. The coating then releases the antibiotic over a period of 2-3 weeks, helping to reduce the chance of infection.
Existing orthopedic implants are at risk of infection, resulting in patient morbidity and revision surgeries. The metal surface of most implants...
Source: Medgadget - September 29, 2021 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Materials Orthopedic Surgery Duke Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, September 20th 2021
In conclusion, inhibiting the lysosomal oxidation of LDL in atherosclerotic lesions by antioxidants targeted at lysosomes causes the regression of atherosclerosis and improves liver and muscle characteristics in mice and might be a promising novel therapy for atherosclerosis in patients.
NANOG Expression versus Cellular Senescence
https://www.fightaging.org/archives/2021/09/nanog-expression-versus-cellular-senescence/
Are there many strategies that can reverse cellular senescence? There are certainly strategies that can lower levels of cellular senescence over time, both in cell cultures and in living a...
Source: Fight Aging! - September 19, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Is it Possible to Safely Tip the Balance in Cancer Treatment Towards Cell Death Rather than Cell Senescence?
Most cancer treatments produce a lot of senescent cells in the course of killing cancerous cells. This is thought to be the primary reason as to why cancer survivors have a reduced life expectancy and greater burden of age-related disease. Senescent cells secrete disruptive, inflammatory signals that harm tissue function when consistently present. Growing numbers of senescent cells in old tissues are an important contribution to degenerative aging.
The straightforward approach to this issue would be to treat cancer patients with senolytic therapies to clear senescent cells after the anti-cancer treatment is complete...
Source: Fight Aging! - September 13, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs
First-Hand Reports Of “Brain Fog” Highlight Struggles Of Those Living With Long Covid
By Emma L. Barratt
Around one in five of those who have recovered from Covid-19 report ongoing symptoms, also known as long Covid. Experiences with this new condition are varied, and several symptoms are neuropsychological in nature.
One such symptom is brain fog. Though not a medical diagnosis in itself, this term is recognised by many health professionals, and refers to a fluctuating and varied set of symptoms which severely affect the sufferer’s ability to think clearly, or conduct their lives as they previously have.
Brain fog is often thought of as a benign, non-specific symptom, and in some circles is eve...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - September 9, 2021 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: Coronavirus Mental health Source Type: blogs
